Disclaimer : I do not own Bones but the characters are a joy to work with!
Song clip: You are my sunshine by Jimmie Davis
Chapter 7
*DING DONG*
"I GOT IT!" Jack's voice echoed through the entire house. I continued on my trek into the kitchen. My arms were laden with presents that my wife had wrapped since before we left for Paris; although it seemed there were more of them than before. Bones smiled as I entered, abandoning the simmering pot on the stove, asking Angela to watch it for her. She reached over and took some of the packages from me, allowing me to see without hindrance. I thanked her, following her out to the pavilion by the pool. Bones unloaded my arms placing each present in order of size on the table. I chuckled, when it came to my wife even the smallest gesture had a logical tint to it.
"Jared and Padme are here!" Came Jack's voice again as my brother and his wife appeared seemingly out of thin air. I never could get used to the odd turns and corners in the Hodgins' mansion. Before any of us could greet each other, my little brother suddenly jolted forwards, two skinny arms wrapped tightly around his waist from behind.
"Uncle Jared!" RJ squeaked. Jared smiled shaking his head. Dragging her with him to the table, he set her gifts aside and grabbed her up in his arms for a proper hug.
"Heya JellyBean!" He greeted. My heart stung a little. I'd almost forgotten Jared had insisted on keeping the nick name Pops' had given her the first morning of her life. "Did you have fun on your trip?"
"YES!" RJ beamed. "We went to the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower, and all sorts of cafes and…and I got a PUPPY! His name is Sasha!"
"Really?" Jared grinned in mocked surprise, my daughter shaking her head enthusiastically, as he set her on her feet. "Where is he?"
"Upstairs, Jackie and I are giving him a bath! Come on Aunt Padme you too!" RJ replied grabbing each of their hands and tugging them to the back stair case. Jared smiled stupidly picking her up and throwing her over his shoulder. RJ laughed, kicking her feet as he reached up and tickled her relentlessly. I shook my head. It amazed me how RJ was completely unaware of just how much she had all three Booth boys wrapped around her finger. I checked my watch again. Parker was supposed to have been here two hours ago.
"Booth can you call the Bakery?" Bones called through the door way. "I want to make sure they are going to be on time."
"I just called them fifteen minutes ago, Bones." I grunted. As if on cue the door bell rang again. But this time Jack did not announce the arrival. I hurried off through the house and found Jack telling the Baker to take his delivery around the back. The Baker nodded and walked briskly back to his truck.
I hadn't seen the cake yet. Angela and Bones had ordered it weeks ago but had kept its design under wraps. For any normal little girl it would have been some pink frilly thing with ponies and fairies everywhere. But RJ wasn't normal, she was RJ went meant whatever her mother and surrogate aunt had come up with was going to be a bit mind breaking. I wandered back through the house, trying to find something to do. I stood in the door way of the kitchen watching my wife and Angela rush to get the last dish ready. RJ's favorite Veggie Lasagna. I broke out laughing as the last touch, parmesan cheese, exploded out of the Tupperware container when Angela yanked it open. Angela, Bones and the Lasagna were now covered in a thick layer of powdered cheese.
OoOoO
I glared at my husband's out burst, half seriously, brushing the powdered cheese from my face and combing it out of my hair. Angela was giggling, trying to smooth the parmesan evenly over my daughter's favorite food. I sighed grabbing a rag from the sink and wiping up the last bit of cheese, Angela hadn't salvaged. My apron had at least taken the brunt of the explosion. I smiled remembering the first time RJ had helped me make this. There had been tomato sauce and cheese everywhere.
As a family we had not spent much time in the kitchen together as of late and I found that it bothered me greatly. Normally we would cook dinner together the three of us; when a case didn't require Booth and I staying late at the office. I cringed inwardly, at how often over the span of her little life RJ had fallen asleep on my office couch, after eating pizza or Chinese take out. It was comforting to know however that Jackson had done the exact same thing; and both children had never complained or seemed to mind.
Russ and family arrived, followed closely by my dad. I showed them where to place their gifts and where the food was. Just about everyone was here. Now we just needed the birthday girl. I hurried back inside but Angela had beaten me to it. She stood smiling at the back stairwell behind the kitchen, listening to someone through the intercom.
"Ok wait where's the towels?" Came Jared's voice over the intercom.
"Oh good grief Uncle Jared!" RJ whined. "They're in the big round cab…WHOA! *Thud*OW! EW Sasha you licked me in the eye ball!"
"You guys ok up there?" Angela chuckled.
"Yes Mom…Sasha kinda got water…everywhere…RJ slipped she's ok though. Her head hit my knee, but she's ok. I'm ok….the bathroom…well…."
"Just get changed and get down here. Rosanna will clean up the bathroom when she comes by later today. It's not flooded…is it?" Angela sighed.
"No it's not Angela." Padme responded. "Jared's got most of it soaked up with some towels. Puppy is all fluffed and ready to meet the family!"
A few minutes later the troop of Puppy washers rambled down the stairs. Jackson and RJ, I noticed were in fresh clothes. RJ in the party dress I had bought for her to wear especially for today. Jackson had changed into dark denim pants and a white polo shirt. Both children pulled at their clothes as if the material was burning them. I chuckled to myself that neither enjoyed having to dress up, even if it was only a little bit. Angela quickly smoothed out Jackson's collar and I straightened the bow in RJ's hair, before we all headed out to the pavilion. I noticed Cam, Paul, Michelle and Parker had arrived in our absence. Everyone greeted RJ with hugs and smiles.
"So!" my dad announced. "Shall we open presents first?"
"Grandpa!" RJ giggled. "Presents are after cake and cake is after lunch!"
"Well then lets eat!" My father urged. RJ giggled at him and gave him a gentle hug before pulling Jackson and Parker to the table to sit on either side of her. I took my place beside my husband a few chairs down the table with Jack and Angela. RJ needed this. Needed to see just how important she was to everyone in her life, not just us.
It appeared everyone enjoyed dinner. An array of food others as well as myself and Angela had decided to make last second. I watched my daughter with amusement. Parker and Jackson kept reminding her to eat as she was entirely too distracted about everyone being together. We hadn't been together like this since last Christmas, just months before RJ had been ripped away from us. It hit me hard then just how many lives her existence impacted. How today would have been so very different if we had lost her for good. I took another bite of lasagna and bit back the tears. I felt Booth's hand settle on my knee and I looked up. He nodded down the table and I followed his gaze. I watched as my daughter snuck a small piece of meat off of Parker's plate, while her brother was up getting her something to drink, and held it under the table. I smiled knowingly, but did not scold her. Parker, realizing some of his steak was missing when he returned, gave her a questioning look, and RJ just giggled.
It was hard to imagine her anything but happy. Yet I still could tell that underneath her toothy grin something was bothering my little girl. Something she wasn't ready to talk about. Angela had told me what Jack had overheard the children talking about. I knew that Booth had not shared his experience with RJ and I had felt it wasn't my place to tell her. But I also knew Booth wasn't going to be able to hide it from her forever. There was a strong possibility it would come up in the trial next month; and I didn't want to think about the betrayal my little girl was going to feel when she realized Daddy had not shared it with her. Logically it made no sense why he hadn't told RJ, so it had to be something psychological that was stopping him. I decided I would ask him tonight; but for now I pulled my faltered smile back in place. Today was about RJ and I was not going to spoil the moment.
"You are my sunshine,
My only sunshine.
You make me happy
When skies are grey.
You'll never know dear,
How much I love you.
Please don't take my sunshine away."
Jammie Davis
